China’s imports of Russian crude have been more badly affected than India’s due to the uneven distribution of US sanctions, according to an analyst. Kpler principal freight analyst Matt Wright highlighted the differing impact of the latest blacklisting of 183 ships,

The Group of Seven democracies has sought to crimp Russia's oil export earnings that help fund the war against Ukraine. But Western governments and sanctions experts say Moscow has resorted to using a so-called shadow fleet of hundreds of aging tankers of uncertain ownership and safety practices that are dodging sanctions and keeping the oil revenue coming.

Three tankers carrying over 2 million barrels of Russian crude oil are floating off China's coast after they were hit by fresh U.S. sanctions last week, Bloombergreported on Jan. 13. The vessels are allegedly part of the so-called "shadow fleet,